KATHRYN BATTE: Paris Saint-Germain chaos could play into Manchester United’s hands… as Marc Skinner’s side prepare to make their Champions League debut in tough qualifier

• Manchester United play PSG in a Champions League qualifier on Tuesday night 
• The chaos that has surrounded PSG could play into United’s hands in the tie 
•  Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’

Of all the difficult ties Manchester United could have been given in the Champions League, perhaps Paris Saint-Germain was not the worst.

United, who are making their debut in Europe, face a two-legged qualifying tie against the French side – with a place in the group stage up for grabs.

It will be tough for United to progress, there is no doubt about that. PSG are more experienced in this competition and have quality all over the pitch.

But the chaos that has surrounded the club in the last few weeks, and indeed years, could potentially play into United’s hands.

PSG are no strangers to off-the-pitch problems. In November 2021, the football world was rocked when Aminata Diallo was arrested on suspicion of organising an attack on her team-mate Khiera Hamraoui.

Manchester United Women are preparing to make their Champions League debut on Tuesday night

They face a stern test against a PSG side who are more experienced in the competition

Marc Skinner’s side could take advantage of the chaos that surrounds Paris Saint-Germain

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Diallo charged with aggravated assault last year and is accused of hiring two masked men to beat Hamraoui with iron bars.

Both players have now left the club, but issues remain. At the end of last month Kadidiatou Diani, who left PSG for Lyon in the summer, filed a complaint for sexual assault against the club’s former manager Didier Olle-Nicolle. 

According to Le Parisien, Diani reported two instances of Olle-Nicolle touching her and other players’ buttocks. The manager, who left the club before the 2022-2023 season, faced similar allegations in May last year. 

The head coach’s lawyer told Le Parisien, as per GFFN that his client ‘has neither been heard nor summoned to explain the facts mentioned in this complaint’ and could file a complaint for slanderous denunciation. 

Gerard Precheur was appointed manager following Olle-Nicolle’s departure but endured a disappointing season, finishing six points behind league winners Lyon and crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.

At the end of the campaign, Precheur criticised the club for a lack of investment. ‘PSG must provide guarantees to build a great club,’ he said. ‘Being competitive is not enough. I want to finish my career with a desire to win.’

Precheur resigned at the end of September and his son, Jocelyn, who was previously assistant manager, has now taken over.

It is a unique and unusual situation. PSG lost their first game under their new boss, a 1-0 defeat by Lyon, but bounced back with a 1-0 victory over St Etienne last weekend.

Jocelyn Precheur took control of PSG following the resignation of his father who had complained over a lack of investment

The French club may still be favourites to progress to the group stage, but they will be as wary of United as United will be of them.

‘Teams in England have a much harder qualification route than other teams. I’m sure PSG don’t want to be playing us right now,’ United boss Marc Skinner said.

With only 16 teams progressing to the group stage, several clubs have already been eliminated – including Arsenal.

The first and second rounds of qualifying were split into two groups – the champions path and league path.

United and PSG are in the league path along with other clubs who finished runners-up of their respective leagues.

The other route contains teams that finished top of leagues outside the highest-ranked associations.

As well as PSG, United could have been drawn against last year’s runners-up Wolfsburg and Real Madrid.

‘When I look at some of the teams who will make the group stages from the other section, it just doesn’t seem right,’ Skinner continued.

Aminata Diallo was charged with aggravated assault last year and is accused of hiring two masked men to beat Khiera Hamraoui with iron bars – both players have since left PSG

‘We could have got Wolfsburg as well which would have been an equally tough match. Real Madrid were in there, of course. I do think they are all tough teams in this side.

‘Sometimes teams that finish third or fourth in this league are way better than some champions from other leagues.’

United will have to produce two strong performances if they are to progress to the group stage but Skinner is confident his team can rise to the occasion.

‘We have to put everything in and have no regrets – I thoroughly believe in my team to, on their day, beat any team they play against,’ Skinner said.

‘I feel we are at that level. We still have a lot of growth to do – I’m not saying we’re the finished article by any means – but I’m really happy with where the group is at, I think we can beat any team.’

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